Matteo Darmian would be better January option for Fulham than Nathaniel Clyne

Reports have linked Claudio Ranieri with a January swoop for both men to bolster a defence that is still yet to keep a Premier League clean sheet this season but the Fulham boss should go with his countryman over Liverpool outcast Clyne.

Unsurprisingly for a side who are yet to keep a clean sheet this season – equalling an unwanted club record in the process – Fulham have been linked with new defenders in the January transfer window.

Claudio Ranieri will be looking to reshape his backline in the winter market and players who are not currently in favour at top six clubs are reportedly taking his fancy.

According to reports in Italy, wantaway Manchester United defender Matteo Darmian is on the Italian’s shopping list, alongside Liverpool outcast Nathaniel Clyne, who looks unlikely to dislodge Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Anfield pecking order.

Both men can play in both full-back positions, with Clyne perhaps better going forward while Darmian is more defensively solid. So, if it’s a choice between the two, who should Ranieri plump for?

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Clyne is the type of full-back that Slavisa Jokanovic would have bought but with Cyrus Christie and Timothy Fosu-Mensah both already at the club, Ranieri doesn’t need another rampaging right-back.

He needs somebody more like Darmian, who is a sturdy, international-standard, versatile full-back who should be able to take Ranieri’s pragmatic message on board swiftly enough to make an impact to their survival bid.

Darmian may be the less exciting choice, but is absolutely perfect to bolster Ranieri’s struggling defence next month.